Valve mechanism



July 26 W. B. WHITSITT VALVE MECHANI SM Filed Deo. 4, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet `1 July 26, W. B. WHITSITT VALVE MEGHMJISM Filed Dec. 4. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM B. WHI'ISITT, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

VALVE MECHANISM.

Application led December 4, 1924. Serial No. 753,871.

The invention relates to steam engines and more particularly to ,valve mechanism adapted for use with locomotives. y

The principal object of the invention is to simplify the construction in the Kiesel Patent No. 1,307 ,821, dated June 24, 1919, so as to make a construction which may be applied to existing cylinders and valve chambers of locomotives now in use without the necessity of discarding or replacing the cylinders and valve mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve mechanism forv locomotives in which the cut-off "is arranged at approx1- mately one-half stroke whereby steam may be admitted for the purpose of starting even though the main ports are closed by their respective valves.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the piston of a piston valve with means whereby steam may be admitted to a cylinder port even though the piston valve is positioned so as to close the said port.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple construction of piston valve which will permit of the ready application of the same to existing locomotive construction so as to adapt` the same for approximately half stroke or short cut-off operation.

To these and other ends the invention comprises the various elements and combinations of elements as hereinafter set forth.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a portion of a cylinder and piston valve therefor showing the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one end of the piston valve and associated parts, the parts being illustrated partially in section and partially in elevation.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of a bull ring constructed in accordance with my invention. 1 Y

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View of the construction shown in Figure 3.

Applicant is aware that prior to his invention it has been common to provide in engines of the type herein described in which a cut-olf of half stroke or thereabouts is used, vsupplemental means for admitting steam into the cylinder should the engine stop in such position that the valve mech- `anism closes all ports. In prior constructions it has been neceary to either utilize separate valve means or to revise the construction of the cylinders and the valve mechanism therefor. In fact, in order to apply devices such as illustrated and described in the Kiesel patent, above mentioned, it is necessary to scrap or discard the cylinders and associated valve chambers and substitute other cylinders and valve chambers properly constructed therefor. The cost of alteration has been excessive as to prevent the wide adoption of this type of locomotive in which there is a marked saving in fuel and it is the object of applicants invention to provide simple means whereby the benefits which have heretofore been derived from this type of locomotive may be applied to existing equipment with a minimum of expenditure of time, labor, and

money.

In carrying out the particular embodiment of the invention here illustrated, ap'- plicant provides a piston valve 1 having a spool 2, followers 3 at the opposite ends, said followers being adapted each to clamp between the outturned flange4 4 thereof and the adjacent portion of the spool or thimble, the split packing rings 5, 6 and 7, and the solid bull rings 8 and 9, the followers being maintained in assembled position by suitable clamping devices 10 on the piston rod 11. At each end of the valve chamber I-provide perforated sleeves 12 within which the ringed portion of the piston valves are adapted to tightly fit to form a substantially steamtight joint. Adjacent their outer ends the sleeves 12 are provided with exhaust ports 13 and intermediate their ends they are provided with inlet ports 111 which register with the valvevports 15 leading to the cylinder 16. At opposite ends the spool 2 is provided with a series of axial openings 16, said openings being formed adjacent'the` periphery or outer edges of the said spool. These openings lead into a circumferential groove 17 formed in the vertical end faces of the spool. It will be observed that the rings 9 are adapted to engage the respective ends of the spool and each of these rings is formed with a circumferential groove 18 which, when the parts are in assembled osition, alines with the groove 17 hereinefore referred to. Leading from the groove 18 is a plurality of openings 19 which preferably lcorrespond in number and direction to the openings 16, each of said openings terminating at a point s aced from the, outer end of the rings 9. ntersecting each of the openings 19 are radial openings 20, the latter leading to a circumferential groove 21 formed adjacent the periphery and preferably in the outer face of each ring 9.

It will be readil seen, particularly from an inspection of igure 2, that when the parts are assembled as shown therein, the openin s 16 in the spool 2, owing to the circum erential groove 17, will admit steam to How through the openings 16 into the openings 19 and from the latter through the openings 2() into the circumferentlal grooves 21 and since the outer faces of the rings 9 are so positioned with reference to the valve ports that no matter in what position the engine stops, one of the circumferential grooves 21 of at least one cylinder of the locomotive will open into its adjacent port 15 so that on the opening of the throttle steam entering the inlets 22 will ow through the various openings into the cylinder and cause the operation of the piston therein. The size of the ports in the spool 2 and in the ring 9 can be adjusted to suit any condition desired and any piston valves by the simple operation of forming the openings 16 and the circumferential groove 17 and by the substitution of a properly formed ring for the solid ring generally used, can be adapted for use with a short cut-off engine without necessitating any change `in the valve chamber or in the cylinder castin s.

It will be o served that the location at the outlet points of the supplemental port-s may be varied Within a comparatively wide range so thatv the supply of supplemental steam may be cut off at any predetermined point during the operation of the valve mechanism. It will also be noted that b utilizing my device supplemental steam is admitted to the main steam ports and that by providing a plurality of small openings the admission of supplemental steam will automatically decrease as the engine speed increases due to the wire drawingl action of the steam in the small ortsof t e ring.

Having now describe my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a valve construction for steam engines, the combination with a valve chamber, of a piston valve therein, a plurality of main ports connecting said valve chamber to the adjacent cylinder, said pistou valve being adapted to control admission and exhaust of steam to and from said main ports, said piston valve comprising a spool member, follower members, and ring members iuterposed between the spool and cach of said followers, said spool and adjacent ring members being perforated to provide for the admission of supplemental steam to one of said main ports when the same is closed by said piston valve.

2. In a steam engine, in combination with a valve chamber, a piston valve therein, a plurality of main ports connecting said valve chamber to an adjacent cylinder, said piston valve being constructed for controlling admission and exhaust of steam to and from said main ports said piston valve comprising a spool member, follower members, and ring members interposed adjacent said spool member and held in position by said followers, the spool member being rovided with longitudinally extending per orations joining with an annular groove adjacent the periphery thereof and the cooperating rings beineP formed with corresponding grooves mating with the grooves in the spool, and perforations extending from said ring grooves to the peripheries of the rings to admit steam to the main ports at certain times when the same are nominally closed by said valve. y

In testimony whereof I allix m signature.

WILLIAM B. ITSITT. 

